Murder: Supreme Court upholds life sentence for naval personnel

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the life imprisonment and dismissal handed to naval personnel, Felix Olanrewaju Odunlami, for murdering a commercial motorcyclist in Lagos.

Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, in a lead judgment upheld the decisions of the General Court Martial and the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

Lieutenant Odulami (with force number: NN2121) was on his way to Apapa from the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, on July 25, 2005 when somewhere along the Allen Roundabout, Ikeja, a commercial motorcycle ridden by Peter Edeh hit the naval officer’s car from behind.

On realising that the owner of the car was a military personnel, Edeh reportedly knelt down to beg Odunlami for forgiveness.

Unable to overcome his anger, the naval chief ignore Edeh’s plea; reached for his pistol holster, retrieved his pistol and shot the motorcyclist in the mouth. He died instantly.

Passers-by, who were aggrieved by Odunlami’s action, attacked him, burnt his car and almost lynched him, but for the timely intervention of policemen on patrol during the period.

Odunlami was arraigned before a General Court Martial on a three-count charge on January 27, 2006.

He was charged with manslaughter, loss of service item (for not being able to convincingly account for four rounds of 9mm live ammunition) and conduct described as prejudice to the force.

His offences, according to the navy authorities, were contrary and punishable under sections 68(1)(a), 103(i) AFA 105 and 106 of the Armed Forces Act Cap A 20 laws of Nigeria.

At the conclusion of his trial in July that year, Odunlami was convicted on counts one and two.

The court sentenced him to life imprisonment for manslaughter and dismissed him from service on count two.

Dissatisfied, he headed for the Court of Appeal, Lagos. In its judgment on January 31, 2011, the appellate court upheld the military court’s decision and dismissed the appeal, a decision that informed his appeal at the apex court.

A young promising officer ruin by his Anger.If Odunlami was still in the Navy, He would have been a Squadron-leader by Now.His Case is a Painful lessoon a lot of people can learn from.What are twist in fate…I wish he had not pulled the trigger and just gave the late Edeh a slap.It would have been Over!

jude L/A USA

A promising young officer, with such a powerful (service number, NN2121). What a waste; what a pity.

DIKE EMMA

I appreciate the courage of the passer by who arrested the Navy Officer with gun.What a power of love and unity.One day, the Power of love will take up the control of this Nation.

Oke Adekunle Exponent

It was just an unfortunate concurrence of events!

aiyekoto

What a pity. Anger destroys while patience builds love, forgiveness, truth and kindness. Odunlami should not have risen to to that position. For those of you not familiar with this case, the young officer (Odunlami) came down from his and saw Edeh begging on his knees for forgiveness with a promise to fix the car which break got broken, made for his service pistol and asked Edeh to open his open which the okada boy (Edeh) obliged. Odunlami pulled the trigger twice to shatter this young boys mouth and head. What a callous way of dying and human animalistic behaviour to a fellow human being. I wonder while he was given life while he should have been sentenced to death by hanging. This is surely a lesson to those with high temperament.

Alex

Do not strike when you’re angry. Anger is a temporary madness open to everyone. Be calm… Odulami case is pathetic, but the law must take its cause.